The Headies has unveiled the nominees for its 18th edition, with Wizkid, Ayra Starr, Mavo, Davido, Burna Boy, Asake and several of Nigeria’s leading artists featuring across the categories.
The nominations were announced on Tuesday, August 25, ahead of the ceremony, which will take place on October 25 in Toronto, Canada. The 18th edition is themed “Africa to the World,” marking another international outing for the Nigerian music awards.
Wizkid is among the most nominated artists this year, picking up six nominations. His 2024 album Morayo is in contention for Afrobeats Album of the Year, while he is also nominated for Digital Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste and Headies’ Viewers’ Choice. His collaborations with Asake on “MMS” and “Jogodo” are nominated for Song of the Year and Afrobeats Single of the Year respectively.
Ayra Starr has five nominations, including Song of the Year for “Hot Body”, Digital Artiste of the Year, Best Female Artiste, Best Performer (Live) for her Global Citizen Festival 2025 performance, and Headies’ Viewers’ Choice.
The nominations also give significant recognition to Mavo, who is shortlisted for Next Rated alongside Fido, Fola, Llona and Shoday. He is also nominated for Digital Artiste of the Year and Best Male Artiste.
Fola is another prominent name among the emerging acts, earning nominations for Next Rated, Digital Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste, Best R&B Album for Catharsis, and categories recognising his songs “You” and “Who Does That?”.
Elsewhere, Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You” is nominated for Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year and Best Recording of the Year, while Burna Boy’s No Sign of Weakness competes for Afrobeats Album of the Year. Burna Boy is also nominated for Best Male Artiste, with “Bundle by Bundle” receiving an Afrobeats Single of the Year nomination.
The Song of the Year category brings together Kunmie’s “Arike”, “Hey Jago” by Poco Lee, Shoday and Rahman Jago, Ayra Starr’s “Hot Body”, Fido’s “Joy Is Coming”, Asake and Wizkid’s “MMS”, and Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You”.
For Afrobeats Single of the Year, the nominees are Rema’s “Fun”, Asake and Wizkid’s “Jogodo”, Shallipopi’s “Laho”, Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You”, Fola’s “You”, and Burna Boy’s “Bundle by Bundle”.
The 2026 nominations follow an eligibility period covering music released between August 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026.
The 18th Headies will hold on October 25, 2026, in Toronto, Canada.
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